YOUNGS MAKES A SWIFT RETURN

eNGLAND scrum-half Ben Youngs admits he had a lucky escape as he prepares to make an early comeback from a knee injury on Saturday. Despite initially being ruled out for the rest of the season, Youngs, 29, was yesterday passed fit for Leicester’s home derby with Northampton. he damaged knee ligaments in February’s Six Nations opener against Italy but is now available for the summer tour of South Africa. ‘When it happens you feel the worst,’ said Youngs (below). ‘I certainly feel like I dodged a bullet — it could have been a lot worse.’ Leicester, lying third, are back in contention for the Premiership play-offs and Youngs said that the team are driven by the fact that they have never failed to make the top four. ‘We want to make sure we are not the side that don’t make it,’ he said. Meanwhile, Youngs’s england team-mate Denny Solomona was yesterday backed by Sale despite being banned for four weeks for making a ‘homophobic slur’ against Worcester’s Jamie Shillcock. But although Sale insisted they believed Solomona’s denial they will not appeal. Land Rover is the Official Vehicle Partner of Premiership Rugby. Land Rover is celebrating its Testimonial Season this year; 10 seasons of supporting grassroots rugby in the UK. Follow @LandRoverRugby #WeDealInReal